THE TOWN HALL QUESTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume 1, Issue 41, 21 November 1868, Page 3

THE TOWN HALL QUESTION.

(To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times).

Sib, — Permit me to avail myself of iyour open column in order to reply to |bwo letters on the Town Hall question, one of" which appeared in" your last and the other in the last issue | of your contemporary, the " Press." The letter signed " A Ratepayer " I hardly merits serious criticism, as it is^ j only a cumbrous and very laborious , attempt to be witty. I need not say that'the attempt is a failure, as your readers are probably quite able to discriminate between wit and impudence. The letter in the " Press " is chiefly remarkable for its bombastic style, and -for an utterly uncalled-for attack on Councillor Henderson. The -first part of it has been answered over and over again, but with that wonderfill vitality which characterises a .fallacy, • the same- stale argument is I repeated over and over again by those who, from interested motives, oppose r4&&._ erection of municipal chambers. " Useless expenditure of public !, A Mogey ";.is- an accusation so easily; made, and affords so excellent an op[jjortunity^ for bombastic declamation

and personal invective, that I for one am not surprised at the manner in which it is continually repeated. The useless expenditure consists, in the present case, of the laying out of some of our surplus revenue in the erection of a building which, in all probability, will pay for itself in a few years, and which, at all events, will save the i ratepayers some £40 or. per* annum. Our opponent's scheme for the expenditure of the surplus funds is the buying back of debenture's at a"j high rate, the formation of streets 1 which will never be built on, and the ( laying of water pipes where they wifl' never be required. I leave it to any sensible man to; decide which- course; thrd.ws. " public money into the gutter." In Reference to the ,attackon Councillor Henderson ISvill make but "a few remarks ; ' indeed, the' writer of th^ letter, by ingeniously retracting in one sentence all he, says in another, leaves very little to be remarked upon. Councillor Henderson never did oppose the erection of a town hall ; he I simply urged the necessity &f waiting until the v amount of surplus revenue was ascertained. r That has now been done, and the result is such • as to i Warrant his support of the measure. His not voting was simply a matter of taste, and in doing so he exercised r a privilege which has been allowed to nearly every member of the Council,' on some occasion -or other, without comment or censure. I trust he may take the impertinent advice of the " Press' " correspondent for what it is worth, and persevere in a course which is calculated to benefit not only his constituents, but the citizens at large. I trust you will find room for this lengthy epistle, because the hearing of both sides is what is demanded by common Justice. Lawrence, Nov. 15.